The Duterte administration recently unveiled its infrastructure plans until 2022 and the country’s first subway system is set to lead the way.

IMAGE build.gov.ph

The Mega Manila Subway, dubbed as “the most ambitious project” of the Duterte administration by Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, was at the forefront of the government’s infrastructure plans unveiled during the “Dutertenomics” Forum held at the Conrad Hotel last Tuesday, April 18.

IMAGE build.gov.ph

These plans include the construction of a connector road between NLEX and SLEX, a road and bridge to connect BGC and Ortigas, four bus rapid transit lines (Quezon City-Manila, EDSA, Cebu, and BGC-NAIA), common bus terminals, and improvement (or construction in the case of the New Bohol Airport in Panglao) of the country’s airports, among others.

The estimated P227-million subway system is expected to link Quezon City and Taguig City with a consistent travel time of 31 minutes. It’s also expected to take between 300,000 and 350,000 passengers a day between both cities.

Thirteen stops were proposed for the Mega Manila Subway: Mindanao Avenue, North Avenue, Quezon Avenue, East Avenue, Anonas, and Katipunan in Quezon City; Ortigas North and Ortigas South in Pasig City; Kalayaan Avenue in Makati City; Bonifacio Global City, Cayetano Boulevard, and Food Terminal Incorporated (FTI) in Taguig City; and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City.

IMAGE CNN.ph

Tugade said he wants the construction for the subway to start by the fourth quarter of 2020, though he hopes it can be initiated as early as 2019, with 2024 set as the completion date. Tugade is also hoping that both President Rodrigo Duterte and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will sign the agreement for its construction sometime in November this year.

Funding for the project will come from the government through official development assistance from Japan. The project is currently under development, with a feasibility study being done by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, which should be completed by July 2017.

The government’s infrastructure projects can be seen on their website, www.build.gov.ph.